Marketing services

Tender description

Lot 1: We require a single agency to provide Creative Production Lot 2: We require two agencies to provide Creative Production for the University’s core Prospectuses. We are seeking a supplier who can adapt, resize and produce creative from scratch for both online and offline media channels (channels referenced below). Our lead creative agency, Havas Helia, will produce master artwork for our core campaigns and the role of the creative production supplier will be to adapt that artwork to different formats to meet media supplier specifications. The supplier will be required to liaise with the lead creative agency and OU over approvals — via email, phone and/or web-based tools. We do have approval processes in place for various channels but are always looking for ways to streamline. The supplier may need to liaise with our media agency, Havas, regarding media bookings. The client and/or media agency will ensure that approved media schedules are delivered (email/web-based tool) to the supplier along with technical specs and delivery deadlines, enabling accurate creative production quotes to be provided. We have developed a robust set of brand guidelines which are issued to all suppliers and are used throughout the University. The supplier will be expected to ensure that all creative adheres to our brand guidelines before delivering to media owners. In addition, the supplier should have the capability to build new creative from scratch, following the current creative style and adhering to brand guidelines. These ad-hoc creative projects are sometimes accompanied by tight deadlines — e.g. a couple of days for a digital ad, 1-2 weeks for design and print of a leaflet. The supplier will provide marketing services as required and agreed with the client, which may include international markets. Requirements In scope: The requirement includes, but is not limited to, the following activities for UK and international markets: • adapt and/or resize artwork in the following channels: — video (TV, VOD, Social, Cinema), — press, — outdoor, — digital (display, paid search, native, VOD, DOOH, social), — email, — direct mail, — inserts/leaflets, — mobile, — point of sale, — pull-up banners; • print procurement/production where required; • email build and broadcast if required; • designing artwork for the above listed channels where required; • designing artwork for ad-hoc projects, e.g. OU Annual Report; • copywriting capability. The Open University produces 17 core prospectuses to fulfil our enquirers needs annually. These consist of four high level publications and 13 subject area brochures (details in specification). We split the production of the prospectuses across a number of teams: • Lead prospectus creative agency — work on the production of artwork and templates for the entire suite. Currently they are responsible for the production of seven of the core prospectuses. • Production agency — work with the lead prospectus creative agency to ensure that the prospectus design templates are implemented to ensure consistency across the entire suite. Currently they are responsible for the production of six of the University’s core prospectuses. • Internal designers — the Open University has its own design resource within the learner and discovery services (LDS) unit on the production of four of the University’s core prospectuses. 4/6 Requirements Lead prospectus creative agency. We require a supplier who can: 1) be the lead prospectus creative agency on the production of creative concepts, including the production of the prospectus front covers, page templates, heading levels, navigation tools and overall design of the prospectuses ensuring that these adhere to brand guidelines and creative direction; 2) work closely with the Brand Agency, Havas, to ensure that any new creative direction is implemented into the prospectus artwork. In this situation the brand agency, Havas, will take the lead on prospectus creative and the production of the templates; 3) present creative concepts to the content team at the start of the annual production process and supply narrative behind concept decision making process; 4) once concepts are approved, produce the master artwork templates, stylesheets and heading hierarchy for the prospectuses; 5) present and supply the master templates to the production agency and LDS design teams as outlined above; 6) be the main point of contact for other design teams, offering a ‘helpline’ should there be any queries on the mater templates; 7) create front covers for all prospectuses which can then be supplied to the other design teams; 8) work with the content team within marketing to create global amend documents to inform other designers of high-level amends across the entire prospectus suite; 9) ensure that as part of the project management there is quality control of all outputs from the agency; 10) project and account management of the production of seven of the University’s prospectuses from Word document to fully artworked prospectus within the required timescales. Production agency: (a) project and account management of the production of six of the University’s prospectuses from Word document to fully artworked prospectus within the required timescales; (b) work with the creative lead agency to fully understand the master templates, stylesheets and heading hierarchy that need to be adopted for the prospectus suite; (c) liaise with the creative lead on any design issues that may arise during the production process. All agencies: 1) sourcing of imagery for use in the prospectuses which adheres to the brand guidelines; 2) quality audit of the final prospectuses prior to uploading the artwork for print; 3) once artwork is approved for print, supply the final approved document in PDF singles and spreads within 2 days of notification. Also supply full high-resolution artwork to the University within a week of final approval to print; 4) on completion of the projects take part in a debrief assessing how the project went and making any suggestions for improvements; 5) production management of any ad-hoc content projects that arise during the year. It is anticipated that with regards to the work that is commissioned from external agencies the split of work between the lead prospectus creative agency and the production agency will be 60%/40%.